Drill bits and other downhole tools with hardfacing having tungsten carbide pellets and other hard materials

Abstract

A hardfacing is provided to protect surfaces of drill bits and other downhole tools. The hardfacing may include tungsten carbide particles or pellets formed with an optimum weight percentage of binding material and dispersed within and bonded to a matrix deposit. The tungsten carbide particles may be formed by sintering or other appropriate techniques. The tungsten carbide particles may have generally spherical shapes, partially spherical shapes or non-spherical shapes.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of previously filed provisional application entitled “Drill Bits And Other Downhole Tools With Hardfacing Having Tungsten Carbide Pellets And Other Hard Materials” Ser. No. 60 / 934,948 filed Jan. 8, 2007.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present disclosure relates in general to downhole tools with hardfacing having tungsten carbide pellets and other hard materials dispersed within a matrix deposit and, more particularly, to hardfacing having tungsten carbide pellets formed with an optimum percentage of binding material.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0003]Since machining hard, abrasion, erosion and / or wear resistant materials is generally both difficult and expensive, it is common practice to form a metal part with a desired configuration and subsequently treat one or more portions of the metal part to provide desired abrasion, erosion and / or wear resistance. Examples may include directly hardening such surfaces (carburizing and / or nit...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The present disclosure provides drill bits and other downhole tools with hardfacing that may provide substantially enhanced performance as compared with prior hardfacing materials. In accordance with the present disclosure, such hardfacing may include tungsten carbide particles formed with an optimum amount of binding material having a weight percentage between approximately three percent (3%) and less than five percent (5%) of each tungsten carbide particle. Other particles of superabrasive and / or superhard materials may also be metallurgically bonded with a deposit matrix to form such hardfacing. Examples of hard particles satisfactory for use with the present disclosure may include encrusted diamond particles, coated diamond particles, silicon nitride (Si3N4), silicon carbide (SiC), boron carbide (B4C) and cubic boron nitride (CBN). Such hard particles may be dispersed within and bonded to the deposit matrix.

[0009]One aspect of the present disclosure may include providing a drill bit and other downhole tools with layers of hardfacing having tungsten carbide particles with an optimum percentage of binding material disposed in the hardfacing. The resulting hardfacing may be able to better withstand abrasion, wear, erosion and other stresses associated with repeated use in a harsh, downhole drilling environment.

[0010]Technical advantages of the present disclosure include providing a layer of hardfacing material on selected portions of a drill bit and other downhole tools to prevent undesired wear, abrasion and / or erosion of protected portions of the drill bit.

Problems solved by technology

Since machining hard, abrasion, erosion and / or wear resistant materials is generally both difficult and expensive, it is common practice to form a metal part with a desired configuration and subsequently treat one or more portions of the metal part to provide desired abrasion, erosion and / or wear resistance.

Images